“Rachel, I don’t want you to grow up” – Granny, to a young me
my response
“Why Granny, Won’t you love me when I’m bigger?”
I don’t know how old I was at the time of that conversation, and I don’t remember her response to me, but now that I have my own children – I completely get it.
They want to grow up so fast
And I want them to stay small
They want to zoom through childhood and do it all…
I want to hold them and protect them and shelter them
It’s inevitable as we reach the end of this school year that the kids are already talking about next year.
NEXT YEAR when I will have a 3rd grader (the oldest grade in our Elementary School) AND a kindergartner!!!
Be still my heart
We talk about what their goals are, what they want to learn and accomplish and do over the summer and the next year and that inevitably leads to the ‘When I..‘ conversations.
When I’m a 3rd grader, I will know multiplication
When I’m a kindergartner I can show my teacher how I can read and I’ll get to do PE!
When I’m in High School
When I get married…
When I’m a Mom…
When I’m a Dad…
When I Grow Up
I go along with them and we play ‘When I Grow Up’
When Princess grows up she wants to be a veterinarian-dolphin trainer-teacher-mom-writer-artist!
Monkey wants to be everything his Daddy is.
I make them laugh when I tell them that when I grow up I want to be a photographer, writer, friend, mom – because in my mind I am still not grown up.
They find that really amusing 🙂
After every When I conversation I tell them that they can be anything they want to be and their Daddy and I will do everything we can to support them and help them achieve their goals and grow into the people the are destined to become.
Right now we’re doing our best to give them the foundation they’ll need to become those grown ups.
Independence.
Strength.
Confidence.
Love.
Thank you, Hallmark, for choosing me as one of their “Life Is A Special Occasion” bloggers and allowing my life and stories to be a part of their Life is A Special Occasion program. While I am compensated for my work with Hallmark as a Life is A Special Occasion ambassador, everything posted is original and real and from our life
.. and when I grow up…
and you’ll know you have done your job well when they run out the door and don’t look back… like you.
AWWW Daddy, I love you.
I love playing the “when I” game with the kids, too…and I love playing it myself.
Great post, Rach. You are doing a great job as a mom.
Jennifer, sending those same words back to you. <3 Thank you, friend.
Oh I love this. My boys are still small, but it is already going by too quickly. And I too think about when I grow up because I am definitely not there yet. 🙂 (found you on the mother letters on facebook)
Hi Amanda! Thank you for coming over from Mother Letters! I don’t think we should ever grow up 🙂
Just yes, Rachel.
🙂
xo, Amber
You and your husband are building a beautiful and strong foundation from which your two children will grow and blossom and move forward from. If they have good and sturdy roots, they may wander far but they will always be well grounded. They are very fortunate children these two of yours.
Oh Paula <3 You always say the most wonderful things. Thank you xo
This was a sweet post. As I look at my youngest (and I have been told, emphatically, LAST) grandchild, I can’t help but reflect on how fast the time passes. Fortunately, I have always been aware of it and tried to encourage my own three children to enjoy the “now” because they would spend most of their lives as grown-ups. I have finally become what I ultimately wanted to be, a stay at home grandmother to seven precious grandchildren who call me, Fun Mama. It has been a great journey and totally worth the wait!
You are so very lucky and blessed to be able to do that! I was really lucky to have my Granny near me for the first 12 years and I got to spend so much time with her.
It’s amazing how quickly the time goes.
So sweet! And so true. My oldest is in third grade this year(Yes, it sure seems like a transitional year) and my youngest starts kindergarten in the fall. My head is spinning with how fast it goes.
AWW we are so close in the parenting stages then!! We can commiserate with each other when our babies start kinder next year!
I love this post, Rachel. Anyone with children will identify. I still remember feeling this way. And…your grandmother told you all of the time for years that she didn’t want you to grow up.
Here’s a favorite poem of mine. It’s called, “Children Are Like Kites.: Your post made me think of it.
You spend years trying to get them off the ground.
You run with them until you are both breathless.
They crash … they hit the roof … you patch, comfort and assure them that someday they will fly.
Finally, they are airborne.
They need more string, and you keep letting it out.
They tug, and with each twist of the twine, there is sadness that goes with joy.
The kite becomes more distant, and you know it won’t be long before that beautiful creature will snap the lifeline that binds you together and will soar as meant to soar … free and alone.
Only then do you know that you have done your job.
Thank you, Mama! Love you and I love that poem!
Sabrina, my 5 yr old, is always talking about next year (in 1st grade) and when she grows up. I told her the other day to stop growing up so fast and she said “I can’t momma! I go to sleep and wake up bigger every day!” Breaks me heart a little.
awww I love that.
and my heart breaks a little for you (and me.. and all us mamas)
I fluctuate between wanting my toddler to be older and when I want him to stay small. I realize how fleeting time is and hope that he’ll forever be my little guy. Then there are those days where I assume it wouldn’t have been this bad if he were just older. Between the two though, I lean more towards wanting my little bugger to stay small!
I am right there with you 😉 <3 Being a mom is a vortex of myriad emotions.
If it is your mission to make a mom cry, you win! I dont want my little bird to grow up yet, I love watching every step and breath she takes! Much love to you and your family Rachel, you are truly amazing!
AWWWWWWWW <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 I adore you
It is so scary how fast it goes. When my oldest starts Kindergarden in the fall I am going to be a wreck.
You’ll do wonderfully!!! I have a post about my oldest starting kinder and how I dealt with it, but I might be emotional this time around since he’s my baby 😉 we’ll see! 🙂
We can hold each other’s “hands” through it!
If I could capture memories in photos the way you do, my life would be made. I hear you on wanting them to grow at times and then not at others yet they just want to grow up.
Niri <3 just <3
Oh, my goodness — your daughter looks JUST like you as a child. WOW!
Beautiful post, Rachel.
LOL 😉 If you gave her darker hair – she would be my twinkie 😉 Thank you, Rachel.
awww… beautiful post. I know just how you feel.
Thank you! I am loving how so many mamas are getting this. It’s nice to know we aren’t alone.
Very touching post! I don’t want my kids to grow up as well. I want them to stay as sweet as they are right now. But I know there’s nothing I can do about it. Sad but I have to accept it ^^,
Linda, exactly!
Thanks for saying Hi!
What a truly beautifully written post, Rachel! Oh, how it tugged at my Momma heart strings!
Thank you, sweet Natalie! <3
You and your Hallmark posts… so very hallmark, my friend. Tears in my eyes because I soooo get it. Hold on to those babies – life is zooming by.
Kristen, You are just the sweetest person. I adore you. I hope we get more time together this year!!!
Kids just grow up too darn fast!
Hold onto all of that. It’s all so wonderful to watch. When they grow up, they still need their moms so, so much. One day over a cup of coffee, I’d love to tell you how I feared my boys growing up and how complex and rich our relationships have become now that they are 15, 17, 19.